Summary
A South Korean court has issued a judgment in a case between Nexon andDark and Darkerdeveloper Ironmace, ordering the latter to pay Nexon almost $6 million USD in damages.Dark and Darkerfirst launched on PC in 2023 and impressed many players with its hardcore first-person fantasy extraction-style gameplay.
Seemingly coming out of nowhere with a demo in 2023,Dark and Darkerwon fanswith its blending of dark fantasy and extraction-based multiplayer. Unlike many extraction games, which are often derived from modern military or sci-fi inspirations,Dark and Darkercasts players as parties of adventurers scrambling to delve deep into a dungeon and escape alive. Both in the dungeon and on the way out, they’ll be forced to contend with both the dungeon’s monsters and other adventurers seeking an easy score by downing another player. Developer Ironmace even launched a mobile edition co-developed withPUBG Battlegroundspublisher Krafton.
Unfortunately,Dark and Darker’s fortunes as a hitfirst-person dungeon RPGwere disrupted when Nexon filed suit against developer Ironmace, claiming copyright infringement.According to The Korea Times, a South Korean court has dismissed Nexon’s claim of copyright infringement. Unfortunately for the studio, the same court also ordered Ironmace to pay Nexon 8.5 billion won in damages (about $5.7 million USD).
Dark and Darker Dev to Pay Nexon Damages Over Trade Secrets Violation
While Ironmace was found effectively innocent of copyright infringement in the case, the judgment ultimately rested on how copyright is actually defined. Nexon claimed thatDark and Darkerwas developed with assets stolen from a canceled project calledP3. It alleged thatDark and Darker’s developers, who were former Nexon employees, left the company after the project was canceled, then formed Ironmace, and basedtheDark and Darkergameplay experienceon the work taken fromP3.
The court said that sinceP3was never actually released, it isn’t eligible for a copyright, making Nexon’s claim inapplicable. However, it still found Ironmace liable for infringing on Nexon’s trade secrets, which cover information and assets that have economic value because they’re secret, and ordered the indie studio to “fully compensate” for the damages.
While it looks like the court decision doesn’t endangerDark and Darker’s operations (beyond the financial impact to Ironmace itself), Nexon said that it’s not quite done with the case yet. In a statement, Nexon said it plans to seek further action from a higher court in Korea. Ironmace has not yet issued a statement of its own, and at the momentDark and Darkeris operating as normal. That should be a relief for existing fans and curious players that might’ve received theDark and DarkerLegendary Status DLCvia a recent Epic Game Store giveaway.
Dark and Darker
WHERE TO PLAY
An Unforgiving Hardcore First-Person Fantasy Dungeon Adventure.Unfathomable fortunes await the brave and the foolish willing to delve into the devastated depths of an ancient citadel. Band together with your friends and use your courage, wits, and cunning to uncover mythical treasures, defeat gruesome monsters, while staying one step ahead of the other devious treasure-hunters. Once you’ve plundered your riches, now comes the hard part, getting out alive. Find the hidden escape routes before the ever-expanding darkness reclaims your riches and your corpse to her irresistible hoard.Irresistibly ClassicDark and Darker aims to capture the wonder and awe of classic fantasy adventure games. We stand on the shoulders of giants and strive to pay respects to the traditions of the genre. We hearken back to the old worlds where danger lurks around each corner, but where courage and adventure are rewarded with untold riches.Choose a role, party up!Team up with friends and assemble a party to increase your chances of survival. Choose from a wide array of timeless fantasy roles and build the perfect three-person squad. Play as a brawny barbarian holding the frontlines while your sharp-eyed ranger friend fires arrows from afar and your merry bard sustains morale with a lively tune.
